LONDON (AFP) – Aliens may exist but mankind should avoid contact with them as the consequences could be devastating, British scientist Stephen Hawking warned Sunday.
"If aliens visit us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which didn't turn out well for the Native Americans," said the astrophysicist in a new television series, according to British media reports.http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100425/sc_afp

I quite like some of Stephen Hawkings theories although I think he's totally wrong about this one.

It's more likely we would attack the aliens than they attack us. We can't last 100 years without a major world war. As a race we are always killing each other over materialistic items, land or for simply dominance over another nation(s).

Hawking makes us sound like we are totally helpless but there is no doubt that few space based nuclear bombs could quite easily destroy an alien mothership regardless of how advanced they are. Unless of course they could phase out of our dimensional reality while the nuclear explosion occurs.

I personally think the reason why no aliens visit us is because Humanity has most likely from the aliens point of view have a historical reputation for extreme violence, greed and cruelty. I think before aliens visit us we need to mature more. We are just seem still too much like educated savages.

I think Stephen Hawking needs to lay off watching all those Hollywood alien sci fi movies that involve aliens killing and/or taking over the earth. It's starting to influence his thinking and not in a good way.

One thing that even a cursory study of history shows, is that when two factions meet for the first time, unless they are reasonably balanced in technology and skill, the weaker society will be wiped out. The chances of any alien society being more advanced AND benevolent seems unlikely, since they will have had to have grown up in competitive conditions just like we have.

I agree that Hawking is probably not the best person to answer a question like that, but that is the wonderful world of science reporting these days. Most science writers don't have a clue as to what they are talking about and are just passing through on their career path.

Well my point is your misinterpreted what he/she was saying but I'm assuming my following explanation will not be heeded.

"I have no clue why you are of the opinion that the chances of an "alien" society being more advanced than we are is unlikely.

Care to back up your opinion with "scientific" facts?

Didn't think so.

Because, obviously, scientific facts about aliens do not exist and netiher do any "scientific" facts exist regarding whether or not they are more advanced than we are.

Speculation is all that exists regarding ET's.

If, as you believe, an alien society had to grow up in competitive conditions just as we have, what makes you believe they did not prevail in being more advanced than we are?"

Your entire rebuttal to Fallaciesabound what aimed at questioning why he 'knows for fact' that aliens might not be more advanced than us. My point is that he never said such a thing, his "AND" was implying he thought it very unlikely that advanced aliens would also be caring and nice aliens towards us on encounter - much as Dr. Hawking is predicting.

Location: Time. within, and throughout. i was, i will be, there for so i am.

Posts: 55

Re: Aliens May Exist But Contact Would Hurt Humans; Hawkings

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Poet

LONDON (AFP) Aliens may exist but mankind should avoid contact with them as the consequences could be devastating, British scientist Stephen Hawking warned Sunday.
"If aliens visit us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which didn't turn out well for the Native Americans," said the astrophysicist in a new television series, according to British media reports.http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100425/sc_afp

I have no clue why you are of the opinion that the chances of an "alien" society being more advanced than we are is unlikely.

Care to back up your opinion with "scientific" facts?

Didn't think so.

Because, obviously, scientific facts about aliens do not exist and netiher do any "scientific" facts exist regarding whether or not they are more advanced than we are.

Speculation is all that exists regarding ET's.

If, as you believe, an alien society had to grow up in competitive conditions just as we have, what makes you believe they did not prevail in being more advanced than we are?

P.S. Hawkings is not the best person to answer any question about ET's and neither is anyone else on Planet Earth.

Reason?

Because there isn't anyone on Planet Earth who knows anything about ET's other than what has been "scientically" speculated which does not include FACT.

Reading comprehension is not your thing is it BA? I said that the combination of being more scientifically advanced AND, I repeat, AND benevolent seems unlikely. The combination of the two. Get it now?